When lived in for a while, our homes can start to feel crowded and cramped. This is especially true for Londoners and New Yorkers, where apartments tend to be smaller. It takes some added creativity to make the most of the precious space in our homes. We’ve put together our top five tips for how to make your home feel more spacious, without making any structural changes.

1. Use lighting techniques

Lighting makes a great difference to how big or small your home feels. Correct lighting has the power to give walls and ceilings the appearance of being higher than they actually are. Our top trick is to use uplighters, placed in the corner of a room. An up-light behind a sculpture or a table in the corner can create focal points by highlighting the object and creating interesting shadows, leading your eye further into the space.

2. Declutter and maximise storage

Clutter makes spaces feel smaller and less usable. As we enter the New Year, why not start with getting rid of anything you don’t need. If you haven’t used it in the last year, you’re probably not going to use it in the next! Add playful pieces of furniture to store bits and bobs you don’t want on display. We like to source antique, interesting chests and dressers for storage as these pieces create intrigue.

3. Use mirrors

Decorating with mirrors is a guaranteed way to increase natural light and maximise a sense of space. We use mirrors in many different ways such as on the back of a bookshelf, as this can add the illusion of depth, especially if the shelves are shallow.

Installing an antique mirror as a splashback in smaller kitchens also works brilliantly. This makes the area look bigger by shining light around the space. Explore more ideas with our blog post: Dos and Don’ts: It’s All Smoke and Mirrors.

4. Create illusions with wallpaper

When working with small spaces, perception is key. In room 609 at Crosby Street Hotel, the wallpaper gives this bedroom an expansive extension. Paired with a tall statement headboard, these design tricks have created an illusion of height.

5. Use appropriate scale with furniture

We believe this is a key ingredient when making any space bigger. Over the years, we have seen so many homes with furniture that is made for a much larger room. This immediately makes the room feel cramped. Equally, small furniture in a large room can look uncomfortable and out of proportion. The height of the furniture has to be right. A coffee table that is too high beside a sofa makes you want to stand up and leave. You shouldn’t feel as though you are making an effort to put your feet up!

We hope these tips will help you create illusions of space. Find also our ‘Dos and Don’ts for a New Year’s Home Refresh’ here.